St. James resident wins $100,000

“After I noticed that someone else was already playing those tickets, I decided to go with another choice. I played the Diamonds and Pearls and started [scratching the ticket] in the middle for some reason.”

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By Debbie Hoffmann

St. James Plaindealer - St. James, MN

By Debbie Hoffmann

Posted Apr. 9, 2013 at 8:00 AM

By Debbie Hoffmann
Posted Apr. 9, 2013 at 8:00 AM

St. James Plaindealer

John Keech of St. James normally like to play the 5 Star Cash scratch tickets, but when he went to purchase his daily ticket he decided to switch things up a bit.

“After I noticed that someone else was already playing those tickets, I decided to go with another choice,” said Keech. “I played the Diamonds and Pearls and started [scratching the ticket] in the middle for some reason.”

The first symbol Keech uncovered in game two was a pearl necklace, so he knew he won a prize. As he began to scratch the prize from right to left, he kept revealing more and more zeros until he saw the $100,000 top prize.

Keech purchased his winning ticket at Steve’s Corner, Inc., located at 1020 Seventh Ave. S in St. James. He claimed the prize at Lottery Headquarters in Roseville on March 19.

Diamonds and Pearls is a $5 scratch game that offers a $100,000 top prize. Overall odds of winning a prize by playing diamonds and Pearls are 1 in 3.6. There is currently one $100,000 top prize remaining.

Proceeds from the Minnesota State Lottery benefit all Minnesotans. Since 1990, the Lottery has raised more than $2.2 billion for state programs. The General Fund has received more than $1.3 billion to help fund important functions such as education, public safety and health and human services. More than $875 million has funded critical environmental programs.